


Fools

by Eriathalia



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Former sibling rivalry, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Maybe a bit of an AU?, Post GOTG, Rating will go up later, Taneleer somehow lands himself on Sakaar, Though technically they are not even the same species
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-01 12:10:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13998069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eriathalia/pseuds/Eriathalia
Summary: After his collection on Knowhere is destroyed, Taneleer finds himself on Sakaar and in the companionship of his 'brother' the Grandmaster, establishing a new home.Although they feel more than just a platonic affection, admitting the true depth of their feelings is harder than it seems.





	Fools

**Author's Note:**

> Please not that according to the comics they refer to each other as brothers but actually are not even of the same species. Therefore this is no incest!

En Dwi Gast shook his head upon seeing the scene unfolding in front of him. He had gone in search of his companion after the other had not shown up to his room even late at night, truth be told annoying the Elder to a certain extent as he had planned the evening carefully, had set out the finest dishes and beverages to be found in the universe, covered the room in floating candles and the bed in the most lavish silken sheets. It must have been millenia since he had gone to such lengths to prepare himself to receive another into his quarters and hopefully arms, although it was a little too much to hope for of course. 

He had taken the plunge and admitted to the affection he felt towards the man he had once called a brother shortly after he had taken refuge on Sakaar with no other place to go after his collection had been blasted, unplanned as it might have been, but true nonetheless.  
It was an affection that ran deeper than just a platonic companionship, but he knew that the other, unlike himself, was not one to seek light pleasure. Of course that was not what En Dwi wanted, but he could not silence word about his reputation that easily, especially not since Taneleer had borne witness to his endeavours and condemned them as frivolous and distasteful in the past.

Truth be told, En Dwi had been rather surprised finding a beaten up Taneleer at his doorstep, or rather collapsing on his pristine white settee, drenching it with the blood streaming from several cuts along his body. Under any other circumstances En Dwi Gast would have had the offender removed and his servants ushered in to clean up the mess, not without a lot of fussing and rambling, but seeing his designated brother in such pitiful condition had caused his heart to clench painfully in his chest.

It had been a few centuries since he had last seen the other, in fact they had not parted on best terms, the upbeat Grandmaster being too annoying to the gloomy and secluded Collector, fueling his aversion by drunkenly stumbling into one of his displays and sending at least ten of them tumbling down like dominoes. By then it had taken Taneleer all his patience and benevolence not to tear the other apart. Actually, if asked now, he would not even be able to explain what made him rein in his anger when any other but the Grandmaster would have been obliterated on the spot.  
And most certainly he would not have admitted that deep down there was a certain fondness of his fellow Elder.

As Tivan lay on the cushions, his eyes glazed over, one of them rimmed by a dark purple bruise and emitting quiet moans of discomfort, En Dwi Gast had bent down and taken his hand, wary of any kind of backlash, but far too concerned to stay away and wait.  
Of course he was well aware that Tivan’s healing properties were far above average, but the extent of his injuries surpassed those he had contracted in the past by far. 

His usually cheerful grin was replaced by a worried frown as the Grandmaster had squeezed the other’s hand gently and whispered his name, earning barely more than a hardly recognizable tilt of his head and a slow blinking of eyes in acknowledgment before the Collector had fallen unconscious. 

As uncharacteristically as it might have seemed to any bystander, En Dwi had taken up the task of cleaning away the dirt and blood from Tivan’s body on his own, hoping the other would not resent him for it upon waking. The Grandmaster knew well enough that any physical contact was off limits to the withdrawn man, making him the absolute opposite of his ‘brother’ who himself craved closeness and sensuality in whatever form it was presented.

Many a time had they fought, En Dwi calling Taneleer a cold and heartless hoarder, while the other had labeled the Grandmaster a lecherous hedonist.  
Of course the latter had laughed it off in his usual charming manner. Beneath that smile though, it had wounded him deeply.  
Even if there were others like them the Collector had always been closest to him. His approval meant more to the master of games than he was ever prepared to let on, thus hiding the sting of rejection through his facade of never ending cheerfulness topped with glitter and bright colors. 

It was the main reason Taneleer’s desolate state threatened to throw him off balance, but he fought down his own emotions and rested his younger ‘sibling’ on his very own sheets, ordering no one to disturb him as he sat, watching Tivan’s unconscious form, the only sign of life the steady rise and fall of his chest.  
En Dwi longed to reach out again and cradle once of the broad hands in his own slender ones, but he dared not disturb him in his healing slumber.

In the end it had taken Taneleer several days to re-awaken, his eyes clouded and his mind confused, unable to recall how he had even ended up on Sakaar or why he had chosen this place, though if he had been honest there were few other options anyway.

At first he had insisted on returning to Knowhere, see whether he could rebuild his collection, but En Dwi had managed to make him stay. Just another day had turned into a week, a week into a month and soon they had fallen into a pleasurable pattern of co-existing, although Tivan still was not too fond of the Grandmaster’s constant quest for new pleasures or the way he enjoyed the brute games of gladiators.

And yet all of it seemed so much more appealing than returning to the ruins of his life's creation. 

So Taneleer remained. Would he have been any more outgoing he would have clung to the other once presented with a brand new workshop situated right on top of the great tower En Dwi called his home, but his reserved nature forbade him to answer it with more than a nod and a muttered ‘Thank you’.

In retrospect neither of them could truly recall what brought them to that point, but En Dwi could still taste Taneleer's lips on his, long after he had fled his quarters the last night, could still feel the softness and light pressure of a chaste display of affection.  
They had been engaged in some kind of game, drinking some potent wine En had acquired to please his companion while lounging on the settee next to each other.  
They had sat like that for many evenings, coming to enjoy them and respectively looking forward to them.  
Maybe it had been foolish, but the warmth radiating from Taneleer’s body and the gentle buzzing in his head had lead him to remark on how beautiful he thought Tivan’s eyes were and how lovely his lips looked, how he adored the flush on his round cheeks.  
Taneleer had put it off as flattery, but when at last he dared En Dwi to prove it, the Grandmaster had not hesitated to brush a soft kiss against the others lips, startling him, but ultimately having it returned so very shyly.  
When they at last parted, Taneleer had muttered an incoherent apology and left as fast as his feet would carry him.

It took hours of coaxing on the Grandmaster’s side to make the other agree to return to his quarters. Of course he had fallen right into scheming the perfect evening, eager to not let the chance slip so easily.

En Dwi had bathed, covered his body in the finest lotions, emitting a pleasant, although subtle scent of roses, also adding a slight shine to his bronze skin. His hair had been brushed back and styled with care, no line of his blue makeup out of place, perfecting it until his reflection in the mirror was set up to his satisfaction, his appearance completed by those long, flowing robes that gave him a statuesque appeal. 

Then he had waited, impatient to hear the rapping at the door indicating the object of his affection had found his way to him at last.

Needless to say the appearance of his servant had disgruntled him as she had caught him leaning in close, prepared to.greet his beloved with a passionate kiss, only her death glare preventing their accidental locking of lips.  
He had stumbled back and mumbled an apology, then quickly dismissed her again.

Hours had passed in silence without any sign of another approaching, but he forced himself to remain patient, lest he destroyed what he had set up so meticulously. 

Ultimately night fell, waking first annoyance, then anger and at last a deep worry within him, at long last coaxing him to set out in search for his beloved.

He quickly found him in the small workshop En had gifted him with, for he knew that his fellow Elder’s passion was to tinker with whatever newest acquisition, to take apart mechanics, then repair and reassemble them to preserve them for future generations, more than once forgetting the steady flow of time until at last he fell asleep at his workbench, hair disheveled and black goggles askew, leaving reddish imprints where they dug into his cheek and forehead.

En Dwi could not help but smile fondly as he approached the sleeping man, brushing a wayward strand of hair from his forehead.

“Falling asleep over work, silly” He whispered, smiling down at him.  
“Well, better get you somewhere more comfy” He leaned over to pick up the sleeping Taneleer, not without sighing about all the preparations going to waste.

About to lift him up in his arms, En Dwi didn't notice pale green eyes shooting open and a hand far stronger than it appeared closing around his wrist. He winced but waited patiently for his companion’s sleep clouded mind to process who had dared to come that close.

“Hey there sunnyboy” The Grandmaster grinned and batted his eyelashes.

“Oh” was the only answer he got. 

En Dwi frowned.  
“Oh? Is that all you have to say about seeing this beautiful face?” He ran the tips of his fingers over his own cheek “You hurt my feelings Tan.”

“What are you doing?” Tivan hissed.

“Whoa...hey uh, I was just trying to make you more comfortable? Fell asleep between your tools, whatever you were working on anyway ah…” He waved his hands helplessly, then reached out and removed a spring that had gotten caught in Taneleer’s hair.

The other one averted his eyes.  
“How late is it?” He mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed at his own oblivion.

“Late” En Dwi stretched and linked his hands behind his head. “I was uh...wondering where you had gone.”

“What?” Tivan huffed “Did you miss me?” He rolled his eyes. It caused the Grandmaster’s smile to fade, making way for an uncharacteristic expression of hurt.

“Well uh...I do love you? So...yes?” He shrugged almost helplessly.

“That's what you said.” Taneleer crossed his arms over his chest. 

“And you said you did too. What...why are you so uh...so hostile?” Carefully En Dwi reached out again to brush the others cheek, but his hand was slapped away immediately.

“It is of no importance to you Gast” Tivan turned away. 

“It very well is Taneleer.” The feeling of rejection stung in his heart, a sensation the Elder had been a stranger to for most of his very long life. “You I care about.” His tone was almost pleading. “If there is something I can do...you know how far my influence reaches. Or is it...me?”

“I would very much prefer to be left alone” Taneleer shot him a death glare. “It is nothing that you could help”

En Dwi bit his lip, smearing part of the blue line running down to his chin. He very much wanted to object and coax the truth out of his companion, but for once he held back, if only due to respecting the fellow Elder more than anyone else. Something inside of him felt like breaking, but he knew that any kind if prodding would achieve no more than irritating Taneleer even more  
Admitting his defeat he hung his head and turned to leave.  
Without looking back he mumbled “If you do change your mind, you know where to find me” He did not receive an answer. 

En Dwi sighed and left, never seeing the look of sadness appearing on Taneleer’s features as soon as the door had closed behind him.


End file.
